Switch mounting



May 19, 1925.

V. R. DESPARD SWITCH MOUNTING Filed April 27, 1922 lmllllllllllllllllllfll Patented May 19, 192 5. i if r I I p v UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE,

vIcTon n. DESPABD, or vnLPAnArsO, INniANA, ASSIGNOB To iu erm. mANur Ac- TUBI courANY, orivanramxso, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or IND ANA.

swr'rcrr MOUNTING.

Application filed s in 27, 1922. Serial no. 558,997.

production of a casing combined with a switch mechanism whereby such structure may be with safety mounted inside of can- .opies or other enclosed or semi-enclosed places. Switch structures are verydargely mounted within canopies and specialprovision must be made in- Order to prevent the establishment of a fire hazard. The Board of Fire Underwriters requires that there shall be no exposed terminals or if exposed that they shall be amply protected by a metal covering or casing. 1 k

My in v'ention concerns itself with the rovlsion of a structure of this character and will eiiplaini one form which it make take by referring to the accompanying drawing,

in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view .g in. section of, a canopy .,eq PP improved device; Q i i Fig. 2 is a side view vice;

' Fig. 3i ssectional view on line 3-.3 .of

' Fig. 1, the actual switch; mechanism not being shown;

casingelements;' -Fig. 5 is a perspectivevlew of theother casing element; a p Fig. 5 is a side view of the'interior mechanism .ada ted to be enclosed by the casing- -Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof fone of through the agency oft e' lever 13 and chain "My ifproved switch structure contern plates two base plates 15 and 16 which are held together through the agency of two brackets 17 and 18 which brackets also carr the connecting screws 19 and 20. Suitab e switch contacts 21 are provided which cooperate with a movable switch element 22 which switch element is moved from one alt-ernatlve position to the other by means of the lever 13. The switch structure in- 6 cludes a supporting plate 24 secured to which is a screwthreaded hub 25 adapted to project through the wall of the canopy 10. The knurled thumb nut is then mounted in place upon the screwthreaded element 25 to thereby hold the structure tightly in position within the canopy. Conductors 27 and 28 lead outwardly from the switch structure,

beingconnected respectively into circuit by the binding screwsor terminals Hand 20,

these screws forming the .connection ter- 'minals for the device.

My invention in addition to what has been alread stated concernsitself particularly with e provision of asuitable casing for they sw1tch structure. as carried. by'the base lates 15 and 16, which casing must be, 0 such a nature that the connection terminals 19 and 20 are properly concealed, I thus-to prevent the establishment of a fire/7,3

hazard. The casing .consists of the two ,I I elements 29 and 30,the member 30 forminga of my improved decap in this articular instance. The cap 30 has punche out lugs 31 and 32 proj ti inwardly which are adaptedto register with correspondingopeningssuch as the opening into long Outline of these parts. The shell part 29 has a slot 34 which accommodates for the projecting supporting plate 24 projecting therethrough. The casing 29 also has two cutaway portions 35 which form the outlet for the conductors 27 and 28. The cap 30 also has cutaway portions both in its sides and in its top face as shown at 36 to form outlets for the said conductors 27 and 28. It will be seen that as a portion of the side walls of the shell 29 is cutaway and also registering portions of the top wall of the cap 30, that an Opening is provided which exte ds diagonally relative to the vertical a'xis is of importance in view of the fact that de-,

of the device as represented, for instance, by 'the line.33 of Fig. 1. The object of this vices of this kind are placed in small and the conductor 28 and the shell portion 29.

very restricted space so that at times it is necessary'rito have these conductors ex-- tend outwardly either in one direction or another. In order to properly conceal the connection terminals 19 and 20, I line the insulation 37 which lining is cutaway to register with the slot 34 but is not cutaway to as large an extentas the slot 35 so that this insulating lining 37 as shown more clearly in Figs. land 4.- overhangs the opening 35 andv thus .prevents'contact between V The cap 30 is similarly provided with a linin 38 which overhangs the edge of the opening 39 said cap. This likewise prevents the conductor from touching any portion of the metal of the cap. By reason of this construction a complete frame of insulation overhangs the outlets of the casing, which insulating frame is also of suflicient extent, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, to entirely cover the connection terminals 19 and 20. The device thus conforms to the present requirements of the Board of Fire Underwriters and eliminates the fire hazard.

It will be noted that the insulation portion of the incoming circuit conductors 27 and 28 coversthe otherwise, exposed metallic portions 17 and 18 so that the electrical parts of the entire device are completely protected by insulating material. I

From what hasbeen' thus described it is thought that my invention will be readily clear to ,thpse-skilledin the art. It will be olear-thatthe specific form selected for illustration herein is merely to be construed as" bein one of Ithefmany vforms which my invention liiaytake i What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a device of the character described, a housing comprising a hollow body portion and a cap member, said body portion having a cut out portion in the edge thereof and said cap member having an interrupted flange embracing said body portion, an interruption in said flange lying opposite said out out portion, the end wall portion of said cap having a cut out ortion adjacent said interruption in said ange.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing comprising a hollow cup-like body .-portion and a flanged cap member, the edge of said body portion having a plurality of notches therein and the flange of said cap shell portion 29 with acomplete lining ofmeagre ,member being interrupted at a plurality of points, the interruptions in said flange lying opposite said notches when said body portion and cap are assembled said cap member having notches in the end wall thereof adjacent the interruptions in said flange, whereby the notches in said body portion and cap form corner openings in said housing. i i v 3. In a device of the character described, a housing comprising .a body portion havmg a side wall portion" provided with notches inthe edge thereof and a cap hav- -ing a flange embracing said side wall, said flange being interrupted opposite said notches and an end wall having notches aligning with the notches in said body portion. v a

4 In a device'of the'character described, a metallic housingcomprising a hollow cuplike body portion and a cap member havin a flangeembracing said body portion, sai

body portion having a notch in the edge thereof, said flange being interrupted opposite said notch and an insulating lining for said housing comprising a cup-like insulating member fitting within said body portion and havin a notch in the edge thereof opposite and smaller than'the notch in said body portion to provide a projectinglip of insulating material at said notch. 5. In a device of the character described, a metallic housing comprising a hollow cuplike body portion and a cap member having a flange embracing said body portion, said body portion having a notch in the edge thereof, said flange being interrupted opposite said notch and the end wall of said cap having a notch therein aligning with the notch in said body portion and an insulating lining for said housing comprising a cup-like insulating member fitting within said body portion and having a notch in the edge thereof opposite and smaller than'the notch in said body portion to provide a projecting lip of insulating material at said notch, and a flat insulating member lining said cap and having a notch in the edge thereof opposite and smaller than the notch in said cap to provide a projecting lip of insulating material at the notch in said cap.

6. In a device of the character described. switch mechanism, a mounting therefor comprising wiring terminals, a metallic housing comprising a hollow cup-like body portion and a cap member having an interrupted flange embracing said body portion, said body portion having notches in the edge thereof opposite said wiring terminals and an insulating lining for said housing com prising a hollow cup-like member of insulating material having notches in the edge thereof opposite and smaller than the notches in said housing, to provide a pro-' jecting lip of insulating material at each of lllU said notches, said lips of insulating material protecting said wiring terminals.

7. In a device of the character described,

switch mechanism, a mounting therefor edge thereof opposite said wiring terminals and said cap having notches in the end wall thereof aligning therewith and an insulating lining for. said housing comprising a hollow cup-like member of insulating material having notches in the edge thereof opposite and smaller than the notches in said housing, to provide a projecting lip 'of insulating material at each of said notches,

said lips of insulating material rotecting said wiring terminals and an msu atlng lining for said cap'having notches opposite and smaller than the notches in said cap to provide a projecting lip of insulating material at each of the notches in said cap, whereby an insulating barrier surrounds each of the resulting corner openings in said housing.

8. In a device of the character described, switch mechanism, a metallic housing therefor having a side and an end wall portion,

said housing being provided with an open-" ing extending into said side and end wall portion and an insulating lining for said housing having an opening therein opposite the opening in said housing, the edge of said lining extending beyond the edge of said housing at said opening to provide a projecting barrier of insulating material between a conductor lying in said opening and said metallic housing.

9. In a device of the character described, switch mechanism, amounting therefor, a metallic housing therefor comprising a body portion and a cap member, said body portion having a conductor receiving notch in the edge thereof and insulating means mounted in said cap and said body portion collectively forming a projecting barrier between said metallic housing and a conductor placed in said notch.

10. In a device of the character described, switch mechanism, a mounting therefor, a metallic housing therefor comprising a body portion" and a cap member, said body por tion having a conductor receiving notch in the edge thereof and a pair of insulating members mounted in said cap and said body rtion collectively forming a projecting arrier between said metallic housing and a conductor placed in said notch,-said members lying on opposite sides of said conductor.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of April, A. D. 1922.

VICTOR R. DESPARD. 

